Rewind
by Noa-Pearl
Summary: Baby returns to Kellerman's with her college friends Sally and Dana. Will Johnny still be working at Kellerman's? How will things unfold?
1. Prologue

_**Rewind**_

**Summary: Baby returns to Kellerman's with her college friends Sally and Dana. Will Johnny still be working at Kellerman's? How will things unfold?**

**Note: Hi guys! I just wanted to start off by saying that this is the first time I am writing for Dirty Dancing. I usually don't write for any movies, but I love Dirty Dancing so much that I decided to give it a try. I'm super busy these days but I definitely try to update as often as possible. Here's just the prologue to get you guys started, I hope it's interesting so far! X. **

**Prologue**

Baby couldn't believe she was heading back to the Kellerman's again. Four years after her memorable visit, she was going back again. This time, without her parents though. Her two best college friends, Sally and Dana had somehow found information about the Kellerman's and decided that it would be the perfect place for the three of them to go for vacation. Baby simply couldn't say no. Max, or mister Kellerman as Baby'd called him in the past, was excited to see Baby come again and had offered her not only a discount, but also one of the best cottages. Sally and Dana had been thrilled, and Baby knew she would've been too. If it hadn't been for Johnny. There was no way Johnny would still be at Kellerman's as he'd lost his job after Baby first vacation there. But Kellerman's without Johnny was something that scared Baby. It had been three years since she'd heard anything of Johnny, and Kellerman's had always been special in her head. That was where they'd met, where they'd fallen in love… It was where she'd left her heart, not expecting to ever find it back again. And now she was heading back to Kellerman's. Sally and Dana didn't know the story about what had happened there. But it was all in Baby's mind as if it had happened last week.

"_Me? I'm scared of everything! I'm scared of what I saw. I'm scared of what I did, who I am, I'm scared of walking out of here and never feeling for the rest of my life the way I feel when I'm with you!" _

Telling him how she felt, making love to him… It had all felt so natural. And now she was going back. In twenty minutes she would be at the Kellerman's again, reminiscing probably even more than she already did. If it hadn't been for Dana and Sally next to her, she would've sighed deeply now.

Both Sally and Dana weren't aware of the existence of Johnny Castle. She had met them about a year after her last visit to the Kellerman's and despite her mind drifting off to Johnny every now and then, Baby had never felt the urge to tell her friends about him; they probably wouldn't understand anyway.

Despite Baby's dreams of saving the world, she had gone to college, as her father had wanted her to. The freedom and confidence Johnny had given her that summer had slowly made place again for insecurity and the urge to be what people expected her to be. Returning to Kellerman's without Johnny there felt like returning home to a house that wasn't hers; it just didn't fit.


	2. Chapter 1: Rainy Day Women

_Note: Hi there! First of all, I'd like to thank ** . **and **Supermanne7 **for their kinds reviews. I very much appreciate them! The length of my chapters always vary but I hope this somewhat satifies you guys. Please enjoy! X._

**Chapter 1: Rainy Day Women**

"Well… At least the cottages are beautiful." Dana sighed as she put her bag on the ground, looking around the indeed beautiful cottage. Rain had started pouring about fifteen minutes ago and the three young women had ran to their cottage as quick as they could.

Kellerman's sure did look different once it started raining; the usual laughter and excitement had been replaced with people running inside to stay away from the wetness and the surroundings had changed into nothing more than a simple vacation park.

"I'm sure the rain will be gone soon guys, don't get all grumpy. Sally hated the way Dana was always so pessimistic. Yes, the rain sucked. But it was summer, and Sally was convinced the rain would soon make place for a beautiful summer sun. "So, I suggest we unpack first… Hopefully this rain will be gone by then. Baby, you said you knew people here… I'm sure you will be able to get some info on all the stuff we can do the next couple of days?"

Baby had been awfully quiet the last part of their trip and both Sally and Dana were wondering what was bothering their friend. Baby knew they would be somewhat suspicious of her quietness and she faked a smile before saying: "Yeah, Max, the owner, I'm sure he's around somewhere… You know what, I'll go find him right now, then I can pick up some food as well, I'm starving…"

"You sure you want to get out in that rain?" Dana raised her eyebrows and looked at Baby. Something was off with the girl, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Absolutely, no problem. I'll be back in a bit."

Before either Dana or Sally could protest, Baby had disappeared into the rain.

* * *

Despite the raindrops falling down, Baby had to admit Kellerman's was still pretty much the same as it had been four years ago, minus the sun and the people enjoying the weather at the moment of course. The cottages were still cute and still gave Baby this good old safe feeling that it always had given her in her younger days.

There wasn't another person outside as Baby made her way over to the main building, which as well still looked the exact same. It made her smile. So many memories were inside that building… Her head took her back to the final dance she and Johnny had done together, alongside the entire amusement crew. The dance still made her feel incredible. God, that moment had been insane.

Right outside of the entrance of the main building, Baby noticed something different. A swinging bench was placed on the left of the entrance, inviting people to sit down and relax for a bit while doing some gentle swings. Instead of entering the building immediately, Baby sat down. She knew the chance of Johnny still being at Kellerman's was tiny. In fact, the chance of ever seeing him again was tiny. Her mind drifted off to the last minutes they had spent together.

"_So… You're leaving in what, fifteen minutes?" Johnny looked straight into her eyes, making Baby feel as if he was able to see right through her, right inside her mind, already knowing all the things she was thinking without her saying a word. _

"_Yeah.. Everything's packed, daddy's just saying his goodbyes to Max…"_

_Johnny gently pushed Baby down on a huge stone, sitting down next to her before saying: "I know you're thinking this is the end… It doesn't have to be."_

_A hopeless look appeared on Baby's face before she said: "How can this not be the end, Johnny? We're miles apart, doing so many different things in such different ways…"_

_He grabbed her hand and placed it on his heart before saying: "You're always in here… And I'm always gonna be in there." He pointed towards her heart before leaning in and kissing her for what would be one of the last times._

Baby sighed. Johnny had been sweet-talking so much those last couple of minutes. He had promised to write her, she had promised to write him. He had been writing her a couple of times. The letters had stopped about half a year after Baby had seen him for the last time. No explanation, no nothing. Baby had always been wondering what it had been that made him stop writing her. Had he just stopped loving her?

She had been heartbroken for months. Baby was telling herself that she was long over it by now. But being back in the place where it all had started, baby knew she was far from over Johnny Castle. She wasn't even close.

* * *

Baby wasn't sure she was relieved or disappointed when she returned to her and the girls' cottage after talking to Max. He of course had been delighted to see her, but beside the man, Baby hadn't seen any familiar face. She didn't have the guts to ask Max about his employees, meaning she still had no idea if Johnny was working at Kellerman's this summer.

She didn't have too much time to think about it though as Dana and Sally attacked her with tons of questions the moment she walked in again.

"Baby! Jesus, you took your time.. Where have you been? We finished unpacking twenty minutes ago? Did you even get any food? Do you know what's going on the rest of the day?"

Baby chuckled. "Relax girls… I talked to Max. He wanted to offer us a lunch on his cost, in the main building. I figured that was a good idea… He said the rain will be gone after two o'clock, then all outside activities will start again. He suggested some things we could do later on, but there are tons of flyers in the main building… Figured you could look at it yourself… Sounds like a deal?"

Dana and Sally nodded and smiled. Dana however couldn't mind sticking out her tongue before saying: "And that took you almost forty-five minutes?"

Baby shrugged. "Sorry."

"No problem… Hey, Baby… Sal and I were just wondering.. You said you've been here before, obviously… You know if there are any cute guys around?"

Dana innocently looked at Baby, who wasn't sure how to respond. Baby prayed she wasn't getting red cheeks as she stumbled upon her own words while answering the question. "Well, I.. It's been, I mean, I was so much younger when I was here the last time, I… I'm sure there are. I'll just freshen up okay, I'll be ready to go for lunch in five." She quickly disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Dana and Sally behind.

Baby's two friends looked at each other and Sally was the first one to speak up. "Dana… Something's odd about Baby here, isn't there?"

Dana nodded. "That's what I was thinking.."

_Note: End of the chapter... What are you guys' thoughts thusfar? Please let me know, I love hearing from you! X_


	3. Chapter 2: The Day I Learned to Dance

**_Note: Hi guys! Thanks for the lovely reviews a few have left me. I appreciate them so much. I'm gonna be super busy next week with work but hopefully there will be another update soon. For now, I hope this chapter will do justice to all your expectations! Enjoy! X._  
**

**Chapter 2: The Day I Learned to Dance**

The restaurant was filled with people, all hiding from the huge amount of rain that was currently falling. Baby was given a table immediately the moment Max spotted her. He apologized to her for not having Neil around this year, though Baby was very much relieved that the annoying guy wasn't there to bother her this time. The three girls were given a table next to the window.

"Baby…" The moment Max had left their table, Sally decided it was time to talk to her friend.

"What?"

"Dana and I both think you've been acting all weird since we arrived here… Are you okay?" Sally hoped her sweet approach would lead to her friend telling her what was wrong. She was usually able to tell what was wrong with her friend within seconds and it bothered her that there was something about Baby that she couldn't quite figure out.

Baby took a breath, hoping she sounded the way she wanted to when she replied: "I have no idea what you're talking about honey… I'm okay… Just tired. It's great to be back here, filled with memories… Perhaps that's why I'm, well, all weird, as you described it to be…" Baby hoped that she had sounded nonchalant. She really didn't feel like telling her friends about Johnny. Not at all.

Sally wanted to reply but was interrupted when a waiter asked them for their order. Baby prayed Sally would leave the subject, but she knew her friend better than that; she wouldn't.

"But Baby…. You never told us about this place, besides it being fun… What was so much fun then?"

Her mind flashed back to one of the first times she had seen Johnny. To the first moment she had actually been dancing with him. How uncomfortable she'd felt that night…..

_The watermelon she carried weighed nothing and all Baby could focus on was the huge crowd in front of her, dancing roughly together. Their dancing was intense, personal, and so hot… People rubbing their bodies against each other in all the right –and yet wrong,- places. Baby had never seen anything like this before._

_"Where they've learned to do that?"_

_"Where? I don't know, they used to do it at the basements back home…. Wanna try it?"_

_Baby shook her head. This was so not her. She was intrigued though._

_"Come on, Baby.." She followed Billy through the crowd, her eyes almost popping out of her head from all the sights. She felt so out of place._

_"You can imagine dancing like this on the main floor? Next to the family foxtrot? Max would close the place down first." Billy's words barely reached her ears properly; she was distracted. _

_Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the tall blonde and the handsome guy she'd seen earlier walked in together. They started dancing together, and were obviously the best dancing couple on the floor. God, the guy wasn't only good looking, but such a great dancer as well… Her thoughts were interrupted when Billy said: "That's my cousin, Johnny Castle. He got me the job here."_

_That Johnny and the blonde….. Wow, they were both so beautiful and such great dancers. "They look great together…"_

_"Yeah, you'd think they were a couple, wouldn't you?"_

_"Well aren't they?" Knowing the blonde wasn't his girlfriend gave Baby slight sparks of hope… Those sparks quickly faded though; a man like Johnny would never fall for a shy girl like her… A girl could dream though, couldn't she?_

_"Nah, not since we were kids."_

_Baby's eyes were glued on the dancing couple. It was so good. Baby got scared though when she saw Johnny staring at her as soon as he'd finished their dance. He made his way over to her and Billy, causing her heart to stop beating. Well, it at least felt that way._

_They had shared their first dance that night. He had told her that night to look in his eyes, to feel the rhythm and, even more important, to feel him. Baby had felt a connection immediately that night. Unfortunately for her, Johnny had left her standing like a fool after that first dance had finished. It was that night though that she had felt something new for the first time. She had fallen in love with someone for the very first time that night._

Baby knew she had been thinking for too long when she saw Dana and Sally stare at her. Dana waved her hand in front of her face, saying: "Hello, Baby, you there?"

"Sorry, girls…" Baby decided to tell half of the truth. That way, she wouldn't be lying, and hopefully, it would satisfy her friends. "I was just thinking… The thing is… This place… This is where I learned dancing… Where I realized I was actually able to dance the way, well, the way I do now…"

Although Sally was still slightly suspicious, Dana immediately nodded. It was a logical answer. Baby was a great dancer, she had seen it herself multiple times. It made sense that she had learned dancing somewhere… Of course this place would bring back millions of memories.

* * *

Johnny Castle wasn't sure why exactly he returned to the same old place every summer. Most of his friends had faded to other places and he wasn't too keen on the boss either. The place was special for him though.

He knew he was lying to himself; the only reason he returned to that place every year was because of one simple thing. Hope. The hope that the woman he had fallen for years ago would return. Tons of memories of her and the two of them together filled that place. The two of them dancing, laughing, talking… Even the two of them arguing.

Johnny wasn't sure what had gone wrong. He had stopped writing her when life had gotten rough. Stupidest move of his life.

His thoughts were interrupted when a tall blonde appeared in front of him, a big smile on her face. Oh yes, that was the other reason he still returned to Kellerman's. Penny. Penny was like his sister. He loved her with all his heart and cared for her with all his heart. Penny was the only one who actually understood he way he felt.

"Johnny… I'm so happy you're here!"

Penny's hug felt like coming home. That woman... That woman was the only family he had.

**_Note: Aaah, Johnny and Baby are most definitely at the same place... What do you guys think is gonna happen next? X. _**


	4. Chapter 3: Penny For Your Thoughts

**_Note: Hi folks, thanks again for reviewing and reading, it is so greatly appreciated! I know I'm being slow in updating but I'm trying my best :) . Here's chapter 3! X. _  
**

**Chapter 3: Penny For Your Thoughts**

Penny was glad her cabin hadn't at all changed since last summer. The cabin was officially hers, but she had to admit that she was slightly suspicious of what happened with it when she wasn't around. She liked returning to Kellerman's in the summer. People started falling away though, moving to other places or simply quitting their job. Penny had a hard time stepping away from the place though. Part of it had to do with Johnny.

Penny was aware of the reasons for Johnny's return to Kellerman's each year. She knew he always had this secret hope of the return of one of Kellerman's former guests. Penny had known Baby as well. Such a sweet girl. At first, Penny had never expected Johnny and Baby to be more than an unfortunate couple that had to dance together. But they had ended up being so much more. Penny wasn't sure what went wrong. All she knew was that they had stopped seeing each other, even talking and writing to each other. Penny knew as well that it was still hurting Johnny every single day.

* * *

Baby was watching her girlfriends enjoying a make-up class, given by one of the very pretty ladies working at Kellerman's. The woman reminded Baby of Penny; tall, blonde, slim…. Penny was prettier though. Baby was enjoying the sun, which was burning on her legs, while watching Sally and Dana laugh with the blonde woman. Baby wanted to ask someone, anyone of the staff, about Johnny. About Penny. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the answer though. Not knowing meant hope; the hope of seeing him there at some point. Baby didn't want her dream to be crushed, regardless of the huge amount of emotions that would fly through her every time Johnny and the thought of seeing him crossed her mind.

She got up, motioning to her friends that she was going to the bathroom before walking away, making her way over to her cabin. Baby stopped when she noticed the sign telling her she wasn't allowed to walk any further to her right; that was the area where the employees were living in their cabins. Cabins she had seen so many times from the inside. One in particular. She knew Penny's old cabin wasn't too far away.

Instincts took over when Baby took the path to her right instead of the path that would lead her to her own cabin. Penny's cabin was less than a five-minute walk from where Baby was now. She knew the chance of Penny still being there was extremely small. Plus, even if Penny was still teaching at Kellerman's, the chance of her being in that same cabin at this particular time was so small. Walking the path made her remember the past vividly again, Penny's abortion in particular. She had been so miserable that night…

When Baby arrived at the cabin, she could tell someone was inside. A radio was playing inside and the window was opened just a bit. Suddenly, Baby got scared. How silly of her was it to even come here? She had just turned around and was about to walk away when a crystal clear voice behind her said: "Can I help you? Guests aren't allowed to come here…"

Baby would recognize that voice everywhere. She took a deep breath before turning around. "I'm sorry… I just wanted to see if you were still here, Penny!"

A smile appeared on the tall blonde's face when she realized it was Baby standing in front of her. She was still the same. A bit older, a bit more mature. But still undoubtedly Baby. "Oh my God, Baby! No way!"

Penny threw her arms around Baby, capturing her in a big hug, while saying: "What are you doing here? How have you been… I can't believe you're actually here, I've been thinking about you a lot, you know…"

Baby smiled before letting go of Penny. "I know… It's been so long. I'm here with friends… I… I wasn't sure you would still be here. I decided to take a look. I'm so surprised you're still here."

Penny smiled. "I know, I know… It's hard to stay away from a place that feels like home, though."

The two women stayed silent for a while, both thinking about the other. Penny was the one to break the silence when she said: "I assume there's someone else you're hoping to see here…"

It surprised Baby how easily Penny was able to cut to the chase without being rude. "I'm not sure what I'm hoping, actually."

Penny nodded, understanding the woman's point. Penny was doubting; in one hand, she was dying to tell Baby Johnny was only five minutes apart. At the same time though, Penny felt she had to talk to Johnny first. Penny wasn't sure what had gone wrong between the two, and despite the friendship she had had in the past with Baby, Johnny was her best friend after all. She bit her lip before saying: "I'm not sure if he is here this year, Baby…."

* * *

"Johnny!"

Penny stormed into his cabin without knocking, resulting in her finding Johnny on the floor, doing sit-ups.

"What's wrong?" He got up in a rush, afraid something was wrong with Penny. The moment Johnny looked into her eyes though he could tell she was excited.

"Nothing… Listen, I've got news… Big news."

Johnny, impatiently, looked at his friend. "Well?"

"Someone was on my doorstep a few minutes ago… She, well… It was Baby, Johnny."

"What do you mean?"

In any other circumstance, the look on Johnny's face would've made Penny smile. It was a mixture of worry, excitement and hope, and she loved seeing him so youthful.

"Geez, smart-ass, what would that mean? It means that Baby's here, back at Kellerman's!"

Johnny's eyes went wide and his mind started circling at full speed. What the hell was going on?

* * *

She had to be around here somewhere. Penny had told him about Baby being on vacation with her two friends, Dana and Sally. Apparently, it hadn't been Baby's idea to return, but her friends had insisted. Penny had been talking to Baby for a while after she had been in front of her cabin. Baby had told her briefly how her life had been, but if he was honest, Johnny knew that wasn't what he was interested in now. All he wanted to know was if she wanted to see him. Wanted to talk to him.

Johnny wasn't even sure what he wanted though. God, the girl had broken his heart. But, till this day, she was still the one holding it. The only one who could mend it.


End file.
